


Jack

by Northern_Lady



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Because of Reasons, Friendship, Not Canon Compliant, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 21:08:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7377424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northern_Lady/pseuds/Northern_Lady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tyrion is forced to marry one of Ned Stark's daughters, Arya. One shot. </p><p>I didn't know what to title this story. My husband told me to name it Jack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jack

“It’s past time you were wed.” Tywin Lannister stated matter of factly. 

The small council meeting was not going as well as Tyrion had hoped. Cersei was too happy about Father’s words before he had even spoken them. 

“You will be given a suitable bride. Arya Stark was recently discovered in the Riverlands. She is from a noble house and will do nicely for a younger son.” Tywin went on. 

“Arya Stark is a child.” Tyrion protested. 

“She is a young woman who has flowered I am told. You will do your duty and marry her. The young wolf can not be expected to survive the war and the elder sister will marry Joffrey. House Lannister needs ties with House Stark in the case that Joffrey manages to kill Sansa with all his torment in the end. Arya Stark could prove to be the key to Winterfell.” Tywin said. 

Tyrion made no comment on the fact that his father believed Joffrey might eventually kill Sansa. He was only thinking about how he could escape this duty that had been thrust upon him. 

“I won’t do it.” Tyrion said as firmly as he dared. 

“You will do it, and you will not allow that girl to rule over you. Arya Stark is a willful young woman but since you like to think of yourself as being very clever, I trust you can think of a way around that difficulty. If you do not marry her and keep her under control I will have you sent to the Wall as you can clearly be of no further use to House Lannister.” Tywin said in a tone that was not to be questioned. 

“You should be glad for the chance to serve our house.” Cersei spoke up. “Arya Stark is more than you deserve.” 

“He will not be the only one serving house Lannister.” Tywin said to his daughter. “You will marry as well.” 

The argument continued until Tywin dismissed both his children. Tyrion went back to his chambers knowing there was nothing he could do to escape his fate. Not unless he wanted to be sent to the Wall. Marriage couldn’t be worse than the Wall, could it? 

*************************

Tyrion was not allowed to meet his bride before the wedding. He would have liked the chance to speak to her before the ceremony. Well, he wouldn’t have exactly liked it but he believed it might have helped if he’d been able to speak with her at least once. His Father had forbidden it stating that speaking with her would not help her adjust to the idea of marriage. Tyrion could only guess at the real reason his father was keeping him away. 

The wedding ceremony was not an overly large affair. There was a hall filled with guests in the sept. A few Lannisters and Courtiers, the king and queen regent were all in attendance. Tyrion stood on the dais and Arya Stark was escorted into the room by his father. She was older than he remembered her being, clearly a young woman now. Her hair was shorter than most noble ladies but in spite of that and in spite of her angry expression, she was rather pretty. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was more angry over marrying dwarf or marrying a Lannister. He pushed the thoughts aside and tried to simply get through the vows. 

Arya hardly ate during the feast. Tyrion didn’t feel much like eating himself. He noticed rope burns on the wrists of his bride. Apparently she had been tied up to keep her from running away. Who could say what other poor treatment she had received since his father had her in custody? All too quickly the feast was nearing an end and Joffrey was calling for the bedding to begin. Arya gripped her dinner knife in her hand and pushed back her chair to get to her feet. Tyrion put a hand on her arm to stop her from standing. 

“There will be no bedding ceremony.” Tyrion said loudly before Arya could do anything rash. He made one of his many jokes about being too drunk and managed to exit the hall without further provoking the king, dragging Arya by the hand behind him as he went. 

It did not escape his notice that six of his father’s men in Lannister armor followed them to his chambers. They reached the doors to his room and the men positioned themselves three on each side to guard the door. 

“Does my father expect I need guards on my wedding night?” Tyrion asked, confused. 

“They are here for me.” Arya spoke up. “Lord Tywin said that if I hurt his son or tried to escape my duty he would see to it that I am made to remember my place in the world.” 

Tyrion felt sick. His father expected him to rape her and had placed guards outside his room to ensure that he could do so. “Six guards for one woman?” He asked aloud. 

“She killed one of your father’s men who tried to capture her in the Riverlands.” One of the guards spoke up. 

That news surprised Tyrion a bit. Arya didn’t look strong enough to kill anyone. “Exactly how long has my father ordered you to guard my wife? Just tonight or are you to be her jailers on a long term basis?” 

“I expect it will be for a long while my lord.” One of the men answered. 

“I see.” Tyrion replied, angry. “Come my lady, our duty awaits us.” 

Arya went into the room ahead of him and Tyrion closed and locked the door behind them. He turned and found Arya standing there with the dinner knife still in her hand. He didn’t know where or how she had hidden it. She was quick. In a flash she had him pinned against the door, knife at his neck. 

“Don’t make a sound or you die.” Arya said. 

“It’s like a riddle.” Tyrion spoke anyway, albeit he did so quietly, 

Arya made a disgusted face at his audacity but didn’t stop him from speaking. 

“You clearly want to to kill me.” Tyrion said, “ If I do make a sound there’s a chance that the guards outside the door will come to my aid but if I don’t make a sound and you kill me anyway, the guards will very likely kill you. If our positions were reversed would you be silent or would you attempt to summon help?” 

“Neither one.” She said, clearly surprised and annoyed that they were having any discussion at all. “I always carry weapons. I would stab anyone who did this to me.” 

“That’s good to know. The truth is, I don’t generally plan on stabbing people. I won’t hurt you Arya. I have no plans of carrying out my father’s wishes.” He said. “Take the knife and use it to prick your finger, wipe the blood on the sheets and my father will have the evidence of the wedding night as he wished. I’ll sleep on the couch and not touch you. Will that suit you?” 

“What about tomorrow night and all the other nights?” She asked warily. 

“I’ll not touch you for all the other nights unless you say so. I swear it...and so my watch begins.” He said. 

Arya let down the knife and took a step back from him. Tyrion breathed a sigh of relief. He poured himself a cup of wine, gulped it down, and promptly went to sleep on the couch without another word to his bride. 

*****************************

When Tyrion woke in the morning, Arya was already awake and sitting on the edge of the bed dressed and watching him with a wary anger. 

“I trust you slept well my lady?” He asked her. 

“I’m not m’lady.” She said. “And I hardly slept at all.” 

“Perhaps I should have given you the sofa then and you might have fared better. I slept like a log there.” Tyrion quipped. He’d say anything to escape her hateful glare at this point. 

“I doubt it would have helped.” 

“What would you like for breakfast?” Tyrion asked her. “I can send for anything you like.” 

“I’m not hungry.” She said. 

“You hardly ate at the feast last night. Are you trying to starve yourself? Because if you are, I can tell you that starvation is not a pleasant way to die.” 

“I’m not trying to starve myself. I’m just not hungry.” Arya said. 

“If you were hungry, what would you want for breakfast?” Tyrion tried asking. 

“I don’t know. Porridge, fruit, sausage.” She said. 

“I’ll send for that and when you are hungry it will be here.” He said, going to the hallway where he could dispatch a servant to bring breakfast. 

Two handmaids came in a short time later to help Arya bathe and dress. She seemed unhappy to have the help but managed to refrain from saying anything rude to them in Tyrion’s hearing. He had no way of knowing what she said in the bath chamber though. Once the maids were gone, Arya emerged from the bath chamber. She was dressed in a common gray wool dress that laced up the front. It was nothing like a highborn lady would wear but more like the clothes of a shop keeper or the wife of a hedge knight. 

“If you need to have any new clothes for your wardrobe made, I can send for the tailor this afternoon.” Tyrion said. 

Arya looked down at herself then back up at him, offended. “I like these clothes.” 

“I meant no insult.” Tyrion said. This was already proving to be very difficult, this whole marriage thing. Everything he said was the wrong thing thus far. “I thought perhaps my father had not provided you with clothes suitable to your station just yet.” 

“Which station would that be? Lannister prisoner or wife of the imp?” She said boldly. 

“If I have to choose, I would say wife of the imp is the more accurate description.” Tyrion replied without missing a beat. “You’re not in a cell but there are guards keeping you from leaving. That nearly makes you a prisoner. Though I did promise not to touch you so you hardly qualify as a wife. Even so, legally speaking I have more say over what happens to you than my father does, so yes, wife of the imp is your station, and as wife of the imp, I don’t really care how you dress. If you decide to go out naked it is nothing to me. Oh, people would talk and blame me for not allowing the poor Stark girl any proper clothes but the people have talked about me as if I’m a monster for years. It’s nothing new. Wear whatever you like and if you need something new to wear just ask and you’ll have it.” Tyrion said, and began eating his breakfast without waiting for her reply. 

Arya stared at him almost in awe for a moment and then she spoke up. “Why? Why do the people say you’re a monster?” 

“Because I’m the Imp. I’m small and ugly and my sister’s misdeeds are remembered as my own.” He said with shrug. 

She shook her head. “That can’t be the only reason, because of your sister.” 

“Not just because of my sister but because she is beautiful and I am misshapen and ugly. People like to believe that beautiful people are good and less beautiful people are bad. Surely, you have seen for yourself that the world is like that?” Tyrion asked. 

“I have seen it, but that doesn’t make you innocent.” Arya said. 

Tyrion sighed. “I was not the one who ordered your father arrested or killed. I do not know how your brother fell from that tower in Winterfell but I can tell you that I had no part in it. I even stopped at Winterfell on my way south from the Wall to give Bran a design for a saddle that would allow him to ride a horse without help. I defended your mother from robbers on the road to the Vale. I have tried to stop King Joffrey from hurting your sister when I can do so. I try to influence him to be just and compassionate whenever I can, for all the good it does. I played a part in helping to save this city when Stannis Baratheon came to take it. No one remembers any of that. The people of this city only remember that they are hungry so it must be the Imp’s fault.” 

Her eyes had softened as he spoke but she still looked skeptical. 

“I know, I’m still a Lannister.” He said, seeing her mistrust. “But I assure you I am the least like a Lannister of all my house, just as you are the least like a Stark.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean? I am a Stark.” 

“Last night I made vows to love you for all my days and the moment we were alone you were ready to kill me.” Tyrion said. “I’m sure you believe in honor and duty as much as any of the other Starks but you are not nearly so trusting that others will behave with those ideals. Unlike your father, you are wise enough to expect betrayal.” 

Arya made a face. She clearly disliked that he would say anything to make her beloved father seem unwise but she said nothing to disagree with him. Instead she pulled her chair a little closer to the table and reached for some food to finally begin her breakfast. 

“Am I supposed to stay in these rooms all day and do needlework like a proper wife?” She asked. 

“I take it you would prefer to spend your day doing something other than needlework?” Tyrion said. 

“I have a sword. I’d like to practice with it....except they took it from me, your father’s men.” Arya said sadly. 

“I could give you leave to practice with your sword if you return the blade to the armory every night. I think you might try to kill me with it if you bring the blade back to these rooms.” Tyrion said. 

Arya nodded. “I’ll return my sword every night. You have my word.” 

“Good. I’ll see if I can convince my father to leave you with fewer guards by day but I make no promises on that account. Unfortunately I think my father will be unwilling to change his mind until you have proven that you won’t try to run away.” Tyrion said. 

After they had finished breakfast, Tyrion and Arya went their own separate ways. He headed to court and Arya went in the direction of the armory, followed by her compliment of guards. 

******************

When Tyrion returned to his rooms that evening, Arya’s clothes were dirty, her hair was awry but as he walked into the room he caught just a hint of a smile on her face. 

“How was your day my lady?” Tyrion asked her. 

“It was fine but please don’t call me my lady.” She said. 

Tyrion took note of the fact that she actually said please this time and her tone was not nearly so antagonistic as it had been all the other times he had spoken with her. “Duly noted.” Tyrion said. “Might I ask why you are opposed to being called lady?” 

Arya swallowed, looking sad once again. “It reminds me of my friend. After my father....when I fled King’s Landing I went North with a group of boys bound for the Night’s Watch. I pretended to be a boy. One of those boys, Gendry was my friend. In the end he knew I was Arya Stark and not a boy. He kept calling me m’lady as a joke on account that he was lowborn and I was not…and then he left to join the Brotherhood Without Banners. I thought he was my friend and he left me....” 

“I see.” Tyrion was a little surprised that she was opening up to him this much. Though come to think of it, Arya seemed like the type who was very honest in everything she said. It wouldn’t matter of the truth were kind or cruel or sad, she would probably always speak the truth. “Perhaps I should just call you Arya?” 

“That would be fine.” She said. “Does that mean I can call you Tyrion?” 

“Tyrion is far better than Imp or Hand or even Lord, so yes.” He said. 

They lapsed into silence while Tyrion removed his boots and poured some wine. Arya rebraided her hair and stood reading the titles on his bookshelf. 

“The servants will be bringing dinner soon.” Tyrion said. “Is there anything you might prefer to eat?” 

“I don’t much care.” Arya said, still reading titles. “Why do you have so many books?” 

“Because I like to know things.” He told her. 

“I like to know things too, but I don’t want to read about them. I want see Meereen and Braavos and Dorne and the Wall.” She said almost dreamily, then stopped as she read a title. “You have so many titles on Dragons. Have you seen the dragon skulls below the Red Keep?” 

“Indeed I have. I have seen the Wall as well and the Vale as well. When my Uncle Gerrion went to Valyria to search for the lost Lannister sword Brightroar I begged my father to be allowed to go with him. I wanted to see the world. Father forbade it. I decided that if I can’t go see places, books are the next best thing.” Tyrion told her. 

Arya reached for a book and took it down. She flipped through the pages. There were many drawn illustrations in the volume. “Do you suppose Old Valyria really looks like this?” She turned and showed him a picture of the ruined city. 

“The drawings of Casterly Rock in that volume are very accurate. I imagine the other pictures might be just as accurate.” He said. 

Much of the rest of the evening was spent talking over places that they had seen or would like to see. They never once alluded to the idea of going to these places together. They were merely speculating on what these places might be like. Tyrion had a great deal of knowledge about the world and he found that in spite of being so wild, Arya had been well educated. She knew all the details about the few women who were in the history books and she admired the female warriors and loved stories of dragons. After their dinner was finished Tyrion took out a book to read and Arya selected a book of her own. The hour grew late and she put the book back on the shelf and retired to the bedchamber. 

***************************

Four days later Arya accompanied Tyrion to a family dinner with Cersei, Tommen, Joffrey, Sansa, Jaime, and Tywin. She didn’t want to go. Tyrion didn’t want to go either but he had made it clear that they had no choice. Jaime had just returned to the city and the dinner was meant to welcome him home. Tyrion would have preferred a private meeting with his brother but Father had insisted and when father insisted, no one could refuse. He would speak with Jaime alone later. In the meantime he had to simply get through the dinner with Arya without incident. There would be far too many Starks and Lannisters all in the same room to ever hope this could go smoothly. They entered the king’s solar followed by Arya’s two guards. He had at least managed to get the number reduced to two. Most of the family was already gathered there with the exception of Joffrey. The king was often late. He didn’t care about making appointments on time. He was the king after all. 

The meal went smoothly enough at first. Greetings were made, followed by chit chat about the weather, the food, gossip about Lords and Ladies in the crownlands. Then Joffrey spoke up. 

“Maybe the tourney wouldn’t have cost so much if the master of coin had simply done his job properly.” The king said, gazing at his Uncle Tyrion pointedly. 

“Joffrey dear, there’s no point in antagonizing him.” Cersei said gently. “I’m sure your Uncle does the best he can given what he has to work with.” 

Tyrion knew she meant to insult his intelligence and not the lack of resources he had to work with. He was accustomed enough to such insults that he was willing to let it go. Arya was not so willing to let it go. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She spoke up, surprising everyone at the table. 

“What is what supposed to mean?” Cersei replied innocently. 

Tyrion nudged Arya’s leg with his foot under the table and gave her a pointed look. He didn't need her to start an argument with Cersei. He knew from experience that it was rarely worth it. 

“Never mind. It’s not important.” Arya said. 

The meal continued and several more insults were thrown Tyrion’s way by his father, Cersei and Joffrey. Twice, Tyrion made a joke about their words. Twice Jaime came to his defense and each time Tyrion saw Arya stiffen in her chair at the insult. When Joffrey said something rude to Sansa Arya gripped her dinner knife tightly and Tyrion had to discreetly take her arm and calm her. When they finally left that evening, Arya was nearly shaking with rage. 

“How can you stand letting them treat you like that?” She spouted as soon as the door to his rooms was shut. 

“I didn’t stand it. I turned it into a joke and Jaime defended me, you saw that.” Tyrion said. “I think perhaps you had planned to defend me too if I hadn’t stopped you.” 

“I had.” She said sheepishly. “I don’t like people who hurt other people just because they can. I don’t like bullies.” 

“Strange.” He commented. “I suppose that means you don’t think my sister and father gave me exactly what I deserved?” 

“I don’t think that.” She admitted. “Seems to me you’re an alright person, for a Lannister anyway.” 

“Just as you are alright for a Stark.” He said just as seriously. They stared at one another for a moment, then they both laughed. 

***************************

Two nights later Jaime came to visit Tyrion in his chambers. Arya was sitting on the floor of his solar polishing her sword needle. It was only two days since he had agreed to let her carry it at all times and she had thus far refrained from hurting anyone with the blade, including Tyrion. Jaime took one look at Arya polishing her sword and stopped short. 

“You let her carry a sword?” Jaime asked Tyrion. 

“He doesn’t LET me do anything.” Arya spoke up. “And he doesn’t tell me what to do. I make my own choices.” 

Tyrion shrugged. “That’s pretty much the truth. I doubt she would still even be in this city if it wasn’t.” 

“Maybe she stays for her sister’s sake.” Jaime said, still speaking to Tyrion as if Arya wasn’t there. 

“I never even get to see my sister.” Arya said. 

“You don’t expect me to believe you’ve refrained from running away because you care for your Lannister husband? That sort of courteous loyalty might work for Sansa but not for you.” Jaime said. 

“Sansa has to lie to survive. I don’t” Arya said. 

“So why are you still here?” Jaime asked. “If you’re so honest and honorable, tell us why you’re here, if not for your sister?” 

“To kill Cersei.” She said without hesitation. “And Joffrey.” 

“Which is exactly why my father wanted you under guard.” Jaime said, almost amused. 

“Laugh all you want.” Arya said. “Someday I’ll put this sword through her eye and out the back of her skull.” 

“Try it and you’ll be the next Stark to find themselves without a head.” Jaime said. 

“Stop this, both of you!” Tyrion said firmly. 

To Tyrion’s surprise, they both listened to him and ended their argument at once. 

“Just tell me,” Arya said to Jaime. “Your hand, did my brother do that?” 

“No.” Jaime said. “He did not.” 

Arya breathed a sigh of relief. “I didn’t think he would do something like that.” 

“No, he prefered to keep me in a cage and starve me.” Jaime said. 

“At least you’re still alive. That’s better than what can be said for most of my family.” Arya said. 

“I would agree, except I didn’t kill your family. Why should I be punished for the deeds of someone else?” 

“You shouldn’t.” Arya admitted. “And neither should Sansa or I.” 

The anger in Jaime’s eyes softened at those words. “I was supposed to bring you home, you and Sansa. I swore an oath to your mother.” 

“Are you going to fulfill it?” Arya asked him. 

Jaime seemed hesitant to answer that question. “I will if I can. Right now isn’t the time.” 

“It doesn’t matter.” Arya said. “I can get home just fine on my own when I’m ready.” 

“And when might that be?” Jaime asked her. 

She glared at him. “I’m not stupid enough to tell you that. You’d just send more of your father’s men to guard me.” 

Jaime shrugged with half a smile and turned away from her to talk to his brother. 

*****************************************

For the third time, Arya escaped her guards and wandered the streets of King’s Landing without them. She would return to Tyrion at dusk like she had the last two times and he would probably be as angry as he had been the last two times but that didn’t matter so much to her. The short period of freedom was worth her husband’s anger. Aside from the fact that he was a Lannister, Tyrion wasn’t so bad. He was intelligent and witty and he wasn’t entirely heartless like the rest of his family. Well, Ser Jaime wasn’t entirely heartless either. At least not over some things. Jaime defended Tyrion and had at least twice tried to encourage Joffrey to be kinder to Sansa. Of course that didn’t absolve Jaime of what he had done to Jory Cassel but it did mean that he at least had a sense of honor, flawed as it was. Tyrion however, knew what it was to be disliked and ridiculed and that was probably why he had not turned out like his sister or his brother. He had a sense of compassion that they did not because they had not suffered like he had. 

Arya had expected to hate Tyrion. She had been prepared to kill him if he touched her on their wedding night. Maybe Tywin would kill her for that but she hadn’t cared. She’d rather die than submit to something she didn’t want. She hadn’t needed to kill him and as the days passed she found she was glad of that. Tyrion was a fascinating man. She hated to admit that she actually liked spending time with him. Not because he was a Lannister. She wasn’t so petty as to believe that a person’s House or Name could make them evil. There could be good Lannisters somewhere in the world. Of course no one was truly good. But there could be Lannisters who were more good than not. What bothered her about realizing she liked him was that she had no clue how to let him know. She had spent nearly a moon’s turn being the distant captive wife. She didn’t know how to be friends with someone who was technically her captor. Every evening they had dinner and played cyvasse or read books and every morning they breakfasted together. Tyrion talked with her on friendly terms and she did the same with him. Yet there was distance. Distance because she was a Stark. Distance because neither of them wanted to be married to the other. Distance because he was many years older than she was. Arya didn’t know what to do about that or if she should even try. 

Arya made her way back to Tyrion’s rooms in the Red Keep just as the sky grew dark. She pushed open the door and found Tyrion pacing the room looking anxious. 

“Where have you been?” He asked, his tone somewhere between angry and worried. 

“Walking.” She said simply. “I was perfectly safe. I have Needle and I stayed away from Flea Bottom and kept to the Market Place.” 

“You can’t keep running off like that. It makes Father’s guards look like imbeciles.” 

“That’s because they are imbeciles.” She said, pouring herself a glass of water. 

“That may be, but you can’t go making them look bad. It makes House Lannister look bad and my Father will certainly do something when he hears of it.” Tyrion said. 

“What will he do?” Arya asked, only slightly worried. 

“I don’t know. I don’t think either of us want to find out. Just please stop running off. Maybe if you can prove yourself trustworthy then we can dispense with the guards after a while.” He pled. 

“Doesn’t the fact that I come back each time count for anything?” Arya said. 

“Not for enough. Not to my father. I’m sorry.” He said and Arya could see that he truly was. 

“You shouldn’t have to be sorry. Why do you stay here and obey him?” Arya didn’t wait for his answer. “I’m not going to stay here and obey him forever. I don’t think you should either.” 

“And what would I do? Run away with you to Braavos?” Tyrion asked, pouring himself a cup of wine to match Arya’s water. 

“Maybe go to Meereen. They say Danaerys Targaryen has three real dragons there.” Arya said. 

“I can’t leave this city. I’m needed here. There are people here that I care about.” Tyrion protested. 

“Your brother? If he cares about you, he’d be happy to let you explore the world like you always wanted.” Arya pointed out. 

“It’s not just Jaime...there’s someone else…” Tyrion said. 

Arya knew by the uncomfortable way he spoke that he wasn’t speaking of any friends he happened to have in King’s Landing. Several nights a week Tyrion left their rooms. Arya had a bed of her own but she’d heard him go out into the solar all the same. She thought he went out to drink. It hadn’t occurred to her until just then that Tyrion had been going out to be with a woman. 

She took a step back from him. “You have a mistress.” She said. It wasn’t a question. 

He shrugged. “Indeed I do.” He said but the admission was an awkward one. 

“I see.” Arya took another step back. She put her water glass on the table with shaking hands and fled to her room, bolting the door shut behind her. 

She didn’t know why it should bother her so much, the fact that Tyrion had a mistress. It wasn’t as if they had a real marriage. She wasn’t in love with him. She had never so much as kissed him. Arya found herself stabbing at her pillow with a small dagger she kept at her bedside. She was angry and it helped to deal with the anger. She was angry because she had just suggested to Tyrion that he actually go out into the world and do some of the things he had claimed he wanted in life and he had rejected that, rejected her in the process. He’d rather have his mistress than go with her and live out his dreams. It shouldn’t matter. It shouldn’t hurt. And yet it somehow did. She had thought she understood him and she hadn’t at all. 

Arya was unaware of how much time had passed and unaware of the tears on her face. Her thoughts were broken by knocking on the door of her chambers. 

“Arya?” Tyrion called out. 

She went to the door, unbolted it, and wrenched it open, still angry. 

“Dinner is here.” He said, looking at her worriedly. 

Without a word she went and joined him at the table. She wiped away the remnants of her tears with her napkin then began to eat. 

“Arya...I thought you knew… or at least would expect...that I not spend my nights alone.” Tyrion said apologetically. 

“I never thought about it.” Arya said quite honestly. 

“Then I’m sure it was quite a shock. For that I am sorry.” Tyrion said. 

Arya looked up at him, glaring. “I don’t care who spend your nights with. I really don’t. I just don’t like being lied to.” 

“Strictly speaking, I didn’t lie. I merely neglected to mention where I’ve been.” Tyrion said. 

“No, I’m not talking about that….You said you wanted to see the world and the moment I suggest actually going and doing it, you tell me you can’t leave because your mistress is more important. You could have left before we ever married and taken her with you if that was ever what you really wanted...but it wasn’t…” Arya said sadly. “You made me think we had something in common and it was a lie.” 

Tyrion looked stunned. “It wasn’t a lie. It was simply a dream that I gave up on long ago. That happens as we get older. We figure out that True Knights and Lost Swords and Dragons are all just songs and stories and not meant for real people like us to ever know.” 

“But dragons are real.” Arya said. 

“Danaerys Targaryen would never let us anywhere near her dragons. Your Father was Hand to the man who killed her brother and my brother killed her father. We can barely hope to escape with our lives if she ever does cross the sea to Westeros.” Tyrion said. 

“Even so, Brightroar is real, the Lannister sword. You said you wanted to find it… but I can see by the look on your face that you don’t…” 

“Arya…” Tyrion sighed. “I do apologize if at any time you believed that I intended to abandon my responsibilities here and go travel the world. It is a good dream but it is only that, a dream.” 

Arya pushed her chair back to leave the table. “I’m not hungry.” She said and she excused herself and went to bed. 

***********************************

Tyrion found it difficult to sleep that night. It bothered him to realize that he had been wrong about Arya. He had thought she was very unlike her sister. She wasn’t unlike Sansa at all. She didn’t have Sansa’s courtesy and ladylike demeanor but it was there that their differences became less profound. Arya believed in the songs as much as Sansa did. She just believed in different songs. Arya didn’t want a knight to rescue her, she wanted to be the knight doing the rescuing. Arya had probably never hoped to be the lady of a castle as Sansa might have. Her dreams had involved learning swordsmanship and traveling the world. And Tyrion had been stupid enough to give her hope for those things only to tear that hope away from her. It was no wonder she was upset. She had suffered enough with the loss of her family, with the things she had seen in the aftermath of the Red Wedding. He had not intended to dash her hopes for a better life. 

Arya was already at the breakfast table when Tyrion got up the next morning. She looked tired and sullen. “Did you sleep poorly?” He asked, already knowing the answer. 

“I slept just fine.” She said. “I’m leaving today.” 

“What?” Tyrion almost wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly. 

“I’m taking my things, booking passage on a ship, and I’m going to Braavos.” She said. “I know how to evade your father’s guards. It won’t be hard to leave. I thought I should tell you because you have been kind to me and so you can give Sansa this.” Arya placed a sealed parchment on the table. 

“You’re not taking your sister with you?” Tyrion asked. 

“I asked her to come with me three days ago. She’s too afraid to leave. I can’t help her anymore.” Arya said. 

“If I wanted to stop you from leaving, I could you know?” Tyrion said. 

“I know, but you won’t.” Arya said. 

“Not forcibly no… your sister needs you here. You can’t abandon her just because you’re angry with me.” Tyrion said. 

“This isn’t about you, Lannister.” Arya snapped. “I’m not abandoning my sister. I’m going to come back for her someday, when I know more, when I know how to kill everyone who ever hurt her.” 

“There are other methods besides killing. I don’t even like my sister or her foul son. I could help you.” Tyrion said. 

“I don’t think you will. I don’t think you have any ambitions of your own. If you did then would either leave them or make them stop. You haven’t done that in all this time, why start now?” Arya said, 

She had a point and he know it. For years he had taken abuse from his sister and father and now Joffrey. He had done nothing to truly end it before now. “I could start now for your sake.” 

Her eyes widened. “Are you trying to manipulate me to stay. I suppose you have to try. Your father will be angry with you when I leave.” 

“He will be angry. And I’ll be bored. I’ll have no one to argue with every evening.” Tyrion said. 

Arya almost laughed. 

“Stay another month. Your sister is getting married and she may need you then more than ever.” Tyrion said. 

Arya sighed. “One month.” 

**********************************

Four days later Jaime Lannister came to Tyrion’s rooms to visit his brother and found Arya polishing her sword again. 

“He’s not here.” Arya said, barely looking up at him. “He’ll be back in an hour.” 

“It will take me half that long to walk back to my chambers. I’ll wait here.” Jaime said, taking a chair not far from Arya. “Do you actually use that thing or just polish it?” 

She looked up at him. “I killed three people with this sword,” 

“You’re young to be killing people already.” He said but with a tone of sadness rather than disbelief. 

“Better them than me.” She shrugged, 

“You were learning from a Braavosi swordsman, weren’t you? Did he have time to teach you anything before Trant murdered him for no reason?” Jaime asked. 

“You know about that?” Arya asked, a little surprised. 

“Trant is Kingsguard. He brags about everyone he kills.” Jaime said, 

“Syrio taught me a lot but not enough.” Arya said. “I don’t know what’s missing, I just know I haven’t learned everything I need to know yet.” 

“I could help you with that.” Jaime said. 

“Why would you do that?” Arya asked with disbelief. 

“I made an oath to take you home to keep you safe. I can’t take Winterfell from the Boltons but I can teach you how to keep yourself safe.” Jaime said. “If Tyrion’s going to be an hour we could start now.” 

Arya was undecided for only a moment. Kingslayer or not, Lannister or not, there was no one better in Westeros to learn swordsmanship from than Jaime Lannister. “Alright, we can start now.” And she followed him out to the practice yard. 

*********************

“Whatever you’re doing with Arya every afternoon has made her exhausted.” Tyrion told Jaime. He had gone to his brother’s rooms for dinner so that they could speak alone. “Last night she fell asleep at dinner.” 

“Good. That means I’m challenging her limits and she’ll be less likely to run away than if she were bored.” Jaime said. 

“Tell me, is she any good with that sword she carries?” Tyrion asked. 

“She is very good. I don’t really teach her much of anything. I just give her a chance to practice what she was taught before. She’s agile and fast and could take down an unsuspecting knight without too much trouble.” Jaime said. 

“And if the knight wasn’t unsuspecting?” 

“That’s a bit more challenging. Still, I think she would have a good chance.” Jaime said. 

“Well that’s something anyway. At least when she finally does run away she will be able to take care of herself.” Tyrion said. 

Jaime regarded him quizzically. “You’ve grown attached to her?” 

Tyrion shrugged. “I suppose I have in some ways. She is brutally honest and living amongst the lies and intrigue of the capital all these years I can appreciate brutal honesty.” 

“She is that… come to think of it, perhaps she isn’t as inclined to run off as we might think.” Jaime said, “Yesterday I wanted to go one more round and she declined with some comment about not wanting to be too tired for cyvasse that evening. I get the impression that she likes you.” 

“I highly doubt that.” 

“No, it wasn’t just the cyvasse.” Jaime went on. “There have been other small comments made. I gather that she likes you. Perhaps not in the normal sense of a wife but she likes your company….and she is angry with you about something. She isn’t saying what. Maybe it’s just residual resentment because you are a Lannister.” 

“And because she was forced to marry me. And because she wants to see the world and I was stupid enough to give her hope that I was interested in the same thing, only to refuse to leave Westeros when she suggested it.” Tyrion said somewhat bitterly. 

“I see. If she could be trusted you could send her on an errand for you across the sea. It’s not unheard of for men to send their wives to do their business. I’m sure the Master of Coin could find a reason to go to Essos.” Jaime suggested. “She’d have guards of course.” 

“Perhaps, I could but I don’t think that would entirely solve the problem.” Tyrion said. He was about to say more but was interrupted by loud knocking on the door. 

Jaime went to the door and opened it. Arya stood on the other side gasping for air and covered in blood. 

“Arya?” Tyrion got to his feet. 

Jaime grabbed her arm and pulled her into the room, bolting the door shut behind her. “What happened?” 

“I need to speak to Tyrion alone.” Arya told Jaime firmly. 

Annoyed, Jaime went out into the corridor. 

“Joffrey came to visit me.” Arya said warily. “He left two of his guards outside the door and brought one in with him...there was no way I was going to let him do what he intended...I only came to tell you because I don’t want you to be blamed when they find Joffrey and Ser Meryn dead in your rooms.” 

“You killed them both?” Tyrion asked. 

“Yes. I’m going to change out of these bloody clothes and I’m leaving the city. You should come with me.” Arya said, taking the bundle of clothes from under her arm she hurried into Jaime’s bath chamber. 

Jaime was back in his rooms when Arya emerged. He looked at Arya with look of mixed pity and anger. 

“You told him?” Arya asked Tyrion. 

“I trust him. He’ll let us both leave and not say a word.” Tyrion said. 

“So you are coming?” Arya asked him. 

“Doesn’t look like I have much choice. My sister will have my head if I stay. You’re going to get your wish. We’ll go to Essos.” Tyrion said. 

****************************

On board the ship to Essos, Arya and Tyrion didn’t have the luxury of separate bed chambers or even a separate bed. 

“Ser Illyn Payne, the hound, Cersei, Walder Frey, The Mountain…” Arya whispered again and again as she tried to fall asleep the first night. 

“What are you doing?” Tyrion finally asked. 

“I have to say the names or I can’t sleep.” Arya said. 

“Why? Why those name?” Tyrion asked. 

“Those are the people I’m going to kill.” She said. 

“Perhaps you will but in the meantime some of us need sleep.” Tyrion said. 

In the morning of their first night on the ship Arya woke and found that she had rolled close to Tyrion in the night. She was facing him and his hand was resting on her hip. She had never been this close to a man before and she couldn’t say she disliked it. She was about to move away from him when his eyes opened and he removed his hand. 

“Your sister and her friend were wrong.” Tyrion said. “You don’t have a horse face. You have a very pretty face.” And with that he left the bed. 

Arya stayed where she was, stunned. She had told Tyrion after a Lannister family dinner about what Sansa used to call her. Cersei had made some comment about some of the Starks being so plain and Arya had barely reacted. When Tyrion asked why she had no reaction she had told him that it wasn’t the first time she’d been called ugly. She had told him what Sansa used to say and then locked herself in her room. No one had ever called her pretty before. It was disconcerting to hear. 

**************************

Tyrion had been attracted to Arya from the beginning.He had kept his distance for her sake. But to see her now having some reaction to him after two weeks on the ship was somewhat unexpected. It was nothing major. Sometimes he would touch her hand in passing and she would blush. Some mornings he would wake up and find her already awake and lying rather close to him and she would be quite embarrassed at being caught like that. So he pretended to be asleep to see what she would do. She didn’t do much of anything really. Just pressed close to him and rested her hand on his arm. 

Then the previous evening at dinner in the galley one of the sailors was making disparaging remarks about Lord Stark and his stupidity in getting himself beheaded, not knowing that Arya was a Stark. In her typical fashion, she got to her feet and threatened the sailor. The Captain diffused the situation but while he did so, Tyrion dropped a very small beetle in the sailor’s drink. Arya saw Tyrion’s movement from the corner of her eye as she sat back down. The sailor took a long drink and sputtered and coughed at having swallowed a bug. He was unhurt but was embarrassed after earlier bragging his drinking feats. 

When they reached their cabin, Arya took Tyrion completely off guard by giving him a hug. It was brief and friendly. “Thank you.” She said simply and climbed into bed. 

The next morning he awoke and found Arya cuddled up close to him again. She was awake and as soon as she saw his open eyes was moving to pull away from him. Tyrion caught her arm. “You don’t have to go?” he said. 

“Are you sure?” She asked warily. 

“Of course I’m sure. Why would I object to being close to a beautiful woman?” He said. 

She pulled away enough to meet his eyes and he found confusion there. “Why would you say that? I’m not beautiful.” 

“Yes you are. You’ve spent too much time believing that because you don’t want to be a lady that you can’t be a woman. It’s not true. It’s not true at all. You are beautiful.” He told her. 

She regarded him with confusion a little longer. “You really mean that don’t you?” She said as the truth dawned on her. 

“I really do.” He said. 

Then Arya Stark did something he never would have expected of her. She burst into tears. 

**********************

It had been several days since Tyrion had said she was beautiful. Arya woke up before he did once again and she spent the time as she always did. Keeping as close to him as she could and allowing her fingers to brush over his bare skin while he slept. She didn’t know when she had come to care about him like this. She hadn’t even wanted to admit it to herself. He was still a Lannister. She was still a Stark. And yet he was kind to her and he didn’t try to change her and that alone meant a great deal to her. 

Tyrion opened his eyes while her hand was still resting against his neck. Before he could pull away from her, before he could speak, she leaned closer to him and she kissed him. She had wanted to kiss him for days and now that she had decided to do it, nothing was going to change her mind. His arms came around her and he kissed her in return. 

Late that morning as she lay naked in the arms of her husband she asked him. “Now, will you go with me to see the dragons?” 

“I would go with you anywhere m’lady.” Tyrion said. 

Arya smiled contentedly knowing that he really would.


End file.
